Guide: Glastonbury tickets 2017

Register and book tickets: Glastonbury 2017 confirms ticketing dates and we share our top tips for guaranteeing a summer of music and magic in Somerset

You can buy Glastonbury tickets from 6th October

It's a once in a lifetime weekend that puts the festive into festival - or, for regulars, the highlight of the year. Whether you're a Glastonbury virgin or veteran, the perennial popularity of this great granddaddy of music festivals makes snagging tickets a challenge. But for over 3,000 acts over 100 stages, it's worth making the effort.

This next Glastonbury is set to be more in demand than ever; the announcement that the Somerset site will be left fallow for 2018 gives the 2017 festival a now or never kind of urgency.

Luckily for you wannabe happy campers, we at Culture Whisper have proven pedigree in securing Glastonbury tickets. Here's everything you need to know to maximise your chances, in four simple steps.Dates, prices and practicalities

Glastonbury 2017 dates: 21 - 25 June 2017.

The ticket price is £238 + £5 booking fee. The price includes basic camping for all five days. Those in need of something more glamorous should note, boutique options from cutesyTipis to full blown Kate-Moss-worthy Winnebagos, are priced separately. You can browse the full accommodation options here.

Children under 12 are free and do not require a ticket. Youngsters can also enjoy free entertainment, rides and activities in the Kidzfield.

Coach + ticket packages will be sold at 6pm BST on Thursday, 6th October, before general admission tickets go on sale at 9am BST on Sunday, 9th October.1. Register

In order to even try your luck in the ticket sales stake, you must first register. Click here to enter details and gain the vital registration number. The deadline closes on 3 October 2016. Don't leave it to the last minute as it's a slightly faffy process; you need to register full name and address details along with uploading a passport quality photo (an iphone snap suffices). All tickets are personally ID'ed to prevent resales to touts.2. Think tactics

Have your bank card and that registration number ready; you will need both. Be poised, at your computer, with a reliable internet connection, before the booking opens.

Recruit willing friends and family to load the booking page too. You can book up to six tickets per transaction, with a deposit of £50 per person (more if you are booking a coach journey too). He who makes it past the online queue will need the registration numbers for all the group.

As ever with high-demand online booking, much of the battle with the online queue is pure luck, so there's certainly safety in numbers. 3. Book for Bus Tickets

With Glastonbury's commitment to protecting the environment comes an inbuilt preference for eco-friendly group travel. Coach + ticket packages go on sale at 6pm BST on Thursday, 6th October, three days before General tickets.

Perhaps it’s the added expense, or the faint whiff of school trips, but Glastonbury tickets with coach travel tend to be less popular - plus the early booking means even if at first you don't succeed, you have another shot at booking for Standard Entry.

Long bus journeys may not be glam, especially after a weekend of hedonism and questionable hygiene, but a coach ticket is more likely to get you in (and get you there). It's not a case of paying extra for the coach, then catching a lift with a friend. The festival entry tickets are given out on the coach, so if you book coach, you have to travel by coach — on the way there at least.

If you want to be extra tactical, get a coach ticket from a smaller city. London is always the busiest, so if you don’t mind a protracted journey, book coach tickets from Oxford, Reading or wherever else you're willing to travel. The full list of coach pick up points is here.4. Snag Standard Entry Tickets

With a little organisation, it is entirely possible to book this autumn for a weekend of summer hedonism. Take note of our tried and tested tactics and be ready for the surge that is Standard Entry booking.... Make sure you set your alarm: tickets go on sale at 9am on Sunday 9 October.

Keep calm and keep on hitting that refresh button on your browser until you're lucky enough to get through. Persistence, in our experience, pays off.5. Last Chance

If you miss out on the October booking date, don't panic. Resale for coach + ticket packages will take place on 6PM BST on Thursday 20 April, followed by a resale of general admission tickets at 9AM BST on Sunday 23 April.